Cheaper By The Dozen: Charlie leaves
by DauntlessCake90210
Summary: Summary in first chapter but it is basically where charlie runs away while they are moving house and returns some years later with a new life... More in depth summary and character list in first chapter hopefully the story will be better than the summary and will go somewhere
1. Summary

_**Summary**_  
At the beginning of the first 'Cheaper by the Dozen' movie charlie doesn't want to move and to be fair none of the Bakers do but what if Charlie runs away? and returns 5 years later when the whole family are returning to lake Winnetka with a whole new life? Charlie was never with Beth when they lived in Midland.  
All characters will be aged a tiny bit differently to what they might be in the actual movies but all the Baker and Murtaugh family will be used in my story.

 _ **Characters**_

Charlie Baker: 18 when he leaves (movie one) and then when he returns he is 23/24 Married at 21/22

Sophia Rodgers-Baker: 18 when she meets up with charlie and 23 when she returns with him as his wife Married at 21

Nora Baker-McNulty: 21 (Movie one) - 23 (Married bud) - 26 (return)

Bud McNulty: 24 (married Nora) - 27 (return)

Lorraine Baker: 16 (Movie one) - 20/21 (return)

Henry Baker: 12 (movie one) - 17 (return)

Sarah Baker: 11 (movie one) - 16 (return)

Jake Baker: 10 (Movie one) - 14/15(return)

Mark Baker: 8 (Movie one) - 13 (return)

Jessica Baker: 7 (Movie one) - 12 (return)

Kim Baker: 7 (Movie one) - 12 (return)

Mike Baker: 6 (Movie one) - 10/11 (return)

Kyle Baker: 4/5 (Movie one) - 9 (return)

Nigel Baker: 4/5 (Movie one) - 9 (return)

Tom Baker: 45 (Movie one) - 49/50 (return)

Kate Baker: 42 (movie one) - 47 (return)

 ** _Disclaimer_**

I do not own the movie Cheaper by the Dozen or its Characters but some of the characters in this story are my own.


	2. Chapter 1

**Charlies POV:**

Ugh I can't believe we are leaving I haven't even told my family about my girlfriend Sophia. We have been going out for about a year she is 18 like me but she is always at home by herself her dad is never home he is out drinking all the time then ends up at some random woman's house and her mother dies when she was 3. That is why I keep getting in trouble for missing my curfew I am at Sophia's house keeping her company until she falls asleep and I leave to go home. I love her so much.

I know that moving to Evanston it being his hometown and everything but we, his twelve kids didn't even get a say in the matter. He said we can vote but ultimately his mind was made up I just know it.

I'm thinking of a plan to live my life the way I want not to be told to make an example for by ten younger brothers and sisters. I want to leave, just get away and never look back. Myself and Sophia have always been talking about getting away and moving out foreign away from everyone and everything. We have even been saving up for it we have it all planned. I guess we will just be doing it earlier than we thought anyway we are both legal to get away.

I am meeting up with Sophia before I leave we are going to be moving in the morning so tonight I am packing my things into the car my dad gave me and collecting her and her stuff in the morning we are going to follow behind my family and the moving trucks and 'stop for a bathroom break' but instead head to the airport and go to live our lives our way.

 **The next morning (Moving day)**

Well today is the day. The day I leave for good. Honestly, I will miss my family like hell but I need to do this for me and for Sophia.

"Okay Bakers let's move out!" I hear my dad yell across the yard at all my siblings saying good bye to their friends and mark to bean's mother. As I head towards the car my dad comes up to me "It isn't the end Charlie there will be a football feel in Evanston and you will make a lot of new friends. I promise" I scoff, that's what he thinks my reasons for not wanting to move are? No football? Ugh my life doesn't revolve around it! "Whatever dad"

I get into the car and wait until my parents have left in the mini-van and the moving trucks are gone before I leave to pick up Sophia as we pass her house I slow down to a stop to allow her to get in I lean over and give her a passionate kiss and whisper to her "Hello beautiful" she smiles and pecks my nose "Hello to you too" she says.

"We better get going our flight is in 2 hours and we have to keep up appearance" I say as I put the car in gear and we head off.

"I'm glad we are doing this Charlie, I love you so much" Sophia says as she turns to me  
"And I love you so much more" I say to her

We have been driving a couple of cars behind the moving trucks that are following my parents for about an hour now when I see the turn off for the airport that is just a 20-minute drive away. I grin and turn to Sophia "Almost to our new life baby" I see a wide smile spread across her face as I turn down the junction to the airport "Just as it should be. We are so close and I can't wait!" she says.

We make it to the airport and unload our two bags each we make our way through all the checkpoints and onto our boarding gate. We hand our tickets in and board the plane, take our seats, and wait.

" _Ladies and gentlemen please put on your seat-belts we will be taking off shortly"_

I look to Sophia to find her fighting sleep I smile and ask an air hostess for a blanket. When she returns I wrap it around myself and Sophia and kiss her forehead "Sleep tight Soph our new life begins when we wake" I hear her faintly mumble an 'I love you char' before she is out like a light and it isn't long before I find sleep also.

A few hours later I wake to the sound of the air-hostess asking passengers to put their seat-belts on as we are landing. I shake Sophia awake and kiss her happily on the lips. Our new life starts today.

" _ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking we have just landed in Puglia Italy the time is 13.05 on Thursday the 14_ _th_ _of august the temperature here is a lovely 27 degrees please enjoy your time and thank you for flying with ryanair"_


	3. Chapter 2

**Charlies POV:**

it has been nearly five years since myself and Sophia have left America for Italy I am now turning 24 soon the same day as my father he will be turning 50. Soph and I got married about 2 years ago well it was a small wedding a beach wedding here in Puglia our close friends were there that is about it we went away to Ireland for 3 weeks on our honeymoon the sights were to die for.

We have decided to go back to my family that is. You see Sophia is pregnant five months and we don't think it is fair to my parents not to meet their grandchild. Nora my older sister and her husband bud are the only ones who know where myself and Soph are and that we plan to return we thought we would move back around the time of dads and mine birthday so we can be like a gift for him he is turning 50 after all. So, we just recently bought an apartment in Evanston about 15-20 minutes from my parents and siblings.

Nora told us about Baby Tom and sent us some pictures they even came over to visit us one summer they promised not to tell anyone where we were but my whole family have been emailing me and calling non-stop and I just don't reply.

So that leads us up to now. Me and Sophia are standing outside our little condo that we are going to keep for holidays while the cab driver loads our bags into the boot.

"You ready to go back hun?" Soph asks me

"Not really but I miss my family and I feel bad it's been five years" I say kissing the top of her head. Sophia has changed a lot since we got here her once dirty blonde straight hair was now a vibrant blonde from the sun and is now in natural soft curls her complexion is now a soft Bronze as is my own and her amazing blue eyes are as amazing as ever.

-Time skip-

When we get off the plane we go over to collect our luggage and find a cab. All our stuff including the car has been shipped over already and are waiting for us at our new place.

When we pull up we pay the cab and head into our new house to settle in. We landed at 1 Am and we are exhausted we have the 50th tonight at 6pm and we still must get some sleep so we are hoping things will go well.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom and then head off to bed we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow" Soph says as she yawns through her words. I chuckle and nod at her "I'll go dress the bed down and get a glass of water from the kitchen and meet you in there" I say and kiss her softly on the lips I walk into the bedroom and see a lovely king-sized bed with nicely pressed blue and black bed sheets. 'Nora' I think to myself. I chuckle and start getting ready for bed. I walk past the bathroom and see Sophia just about to leave and I pick up two glasses of water and head to bed.

"Goodnight sweetie" I say kissing her passionately on the lips then pull her close to me and hold her in my arms all night.

I am awoken by the doorbell ringing I groan and roll over to check the time, 11am ugh.

"Charlie the door" Sophia mumbles into my chest tiredly. I chuckle and kiss her hair

"I know sweets I'll go see who it is why don't you go freshen up it's 11" I say as I get up I hear a muffled 'Kay' and feet shuffling across the floor to the bathroom.

I walk through the apartment opening blinds and windows as I go and hear the bell go again "Geez okay I'm coming" I say

As I open the door I see my sister on the other side with a little Tom in his stroller babbling to himself. "Oh, Hi Nora" I say as I let them in "And hello to you little bud" I say he is basically a copy of his father.

"Hi, Char, I thought I would stop by see if ye two are ready for tonight?" Nora says as she takes a seat in one of the plush black sofas. "Yeah, we are okay just a bit nervous I guess I mean it has been nearly 5 years I don't know how they will react to me being back, and to Soph. I just hope they will be happy" I say.

"Well don't be your parents will be delighted you are back and if they don't like me fine I wouldn't mind if anything I'd be used to it at this point" I hear Sophia says as she sits down in front of Tom and starts cooing at him

"Soph your dad was a dick he didn't deserve you as a daughter and my parents will love you and they will be delighted Charlie is back they miss him so much" Nora says when she hugs Sophia in greeting.

"Okay we should get going if we are going to make it in time" Nora suddenly says. Huh what is she on about?

"What are you talking about?" I ask, "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell ye there isn't a big 50th anymore it's just a family BBQ" Nora says, "Oh and happy birthday Char"

"Thanks, but we still need to get ready" I say, "Okay well I have to be there in 30 minutes and it's a 20-minute drive so I will leave you an address and just walk right in it will be the surprise" She says as she scribbles on a piece of paper and hands it over to Soph. be there before 2 if you can please?" and then she gives us both a hug and leaves.

"Well looks like we should go get ready" I say, "Yeah and I need to pee again" Soph says with a giggle as she gets up from the sofa and waddles off to the bathroom I laugh quietly to myself "Stop laughing Charlie!" I hear her yell from the bathroom and I just laugh even more then

Once we are both ready and in the car, it is just after 1 so we start to head off to the house and don't arrive until 1:45 there was a bit of traffic on the way here. "I can't do this" I say to Soph as I stare up at a huge three-story house with an empty front garden and the front door wide open.

"Yes you can you are Charlie Baker a strong and amazing man you can do this. I will be right beside you the whole time my hand latched in yours because quite frankly I am terrified as hell as well!" Soph say in encouragement.

I nod and smile at her "You and me" I say, "Us" She replies I chuckle and kiss her on the lips "Okay let's do this" I say and unbuckle my seat-belt and get out of the car I run around and help Sophia out of her seat and we lock the doors and head up the front porch steps together.

Here it goes. Let's hope for the best.


	4. Chapter 3

**Charlie's POV:**

Well here goes nothing I think. I grab Soph's hand and we walk in the front door.  
"I have no idea where to go it's so big" I say to Soph trying not to be too loud. "Why not just follow the noise?" She asks me mockingly.

"Yeah, that's a smart idea" I say and rub at the nape of my neck nervously. "Char it will all be fine I promise. Have I ever been wrong before?" She asks me seriously "No" I say

"Then trust me it will be fine okay?" She says looking at me with loving and stern eyes "Okay" I say and lean in and kiss her.

"Good now let's go I think its that way" She says pointing through an arch like door that looks like It leads to a kitchen. As we walk through it does indeed lead to a kitchen with a big back door that is wide open showing a view of my younger brothers and sisters playing apple smear. I used to love that game.

I see my mom and what looks like an older Lorraine mixing a salad at a BBQ counter. Nora and Bud are sitting and talking with baby Tom in Nora's lap asleep.

Nora sees us standing at the door-way and hands Tom over to Bud then stands up. She starts walking to us and when she reaches us she takes Sophia's wrist and gently pulls her along with her me trailing behind lamely.

"Hey Guys!" Nora yells "I've got a surprise for everyone" she shouts. Everyone stops what they are doing to look in our direction.

"Charlie?" I hear my mother mumble then she yells my name and runs towards me. She runs right into me and hugs me as tight as humanly possible causing me to drop Sophia's hand. "Oh my boy where have you been? Are you back for good? I'm not letting you leave ever again you hear me mister?" My mom asks me then points her finger in my face and acts well like a mom. I really did miss my mom!

It takes all but six seconds after that for a herd of 10 people to run towards me forgetting whatever it was that they were doing. "CHARLIE!" They all yell and I am knocked to the ground glad to see that Nora took my pregnant wife away from the herd. When they all finally let me up I turn towards my dad "Happy birthday" I say wearily afraid of his reaction.

I wasn't sure what to expect, for him to yell, kick me out or just ignore me but instead he pulls me into a hug and whispers "happy birthday son" in my ear. I smile and hug my dad back.

When my dad releases me we all go to sit down on the big long table and I notice an empty seat next to me I look around trying to find Soph only to not see her. "Am Nora where is Soph?" I ask a little afraid.

"What do you mean?" She asks me "I mean where is she? She isn't here" I say getting very frustrated "She went to the bathroom a while ago is she not back yet?" Nora asks "Does it look like she is back?" I snap

"I swear Charlie I am able to go to the bathroom by myself im not a baby" I hear my gorgeous wife say from behind me  
"Sorry just got worried" I say pulling out her chair for her in between myself and Nora.

"Charlie? Who is this?" My mother asks as they all look up from their previous conversations

"Oh am this is Sophia" I say then hesitate a bit "My wife" There is a collection of gasps and mummers amongst my family.

"You are married? How long?" My sister Jessica asks. "Nearly two years" I say

I am expecting my family to throw a fit and get mad about not knowing nut instead my mother runs around and drags Soph from her chair into a big hug and I can hear her say 'Welcome to the family'. I'm a little worried when she gets dragged into a group hug amongst my family with Soph being bang in the center. "Am guys can you be a bit careful please I don't want Soph getting hurt" I say

"How would we hurt her with a hug?" Kim asks.

"Am Soph is six months pregnant we already had a scare last month we are trying to take it easy" I say so not to cause any more confusion.

"Another grandbaby?" My dad asks with a big smile I nod my head yeah and my dad pats me on the back with a huge smile on his face "Congratulations son you will be a great father"

"Thanks dad means a lot" I say

With that said and done we sit down enjoying our meal and taking about the last 5 years and what we have all been up to. My family have done a lot.


End file.
